Mud-guard.



Patented May 29, I900. G. D. BRIGGS.

MUD GUARD.

(Application filed June 14. 1899.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GILBERT D. BRIGGS, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

iyi UD-GUARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 650,449, dated May 29, 1900.

Application filed June 14, 1899. Serial No. 720,492. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GILBERT D. BRIGGS, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mud Guards, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to mud-guards for cycles.

My object is to produce a mud-guard which is adapted to be used upon any cycle and can be put on and removed without requiring the use of a single tool. It comprises a frame of spring-wire having eyes to fit over the projecting ends of the wheel-axles and arms extending therefrom and bent to fit over or brace against the fork-bars and retain the scraper in position against the tire and also retain the en tire guard in position by the spring-grip. It is constructed as follows, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is aside elevation of a rear wheel, the fork-bars, and the mud-guard in position. Fig. 2 is a like View of a front wheel, forkbars, and mud-guard. Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation of an inner end of a mud-guard for the rear wheel. Fig. 4 is a like view of one for a front wheel. Fig. 5 is a top plan of the inner end of a rear-wheel guard. Fig. 6 isa top plan of a front-wheel guard, part of the frame being broken out. Fig. 7 is an elevation of a jaw of a front-wheel guard. Fig. 8 is an elevation of a jaw of arear-Wheel guard.

A is a front wheel, and B is a rear wheel, 2 being the front-wheel fork, 3 the lower fork of the rear wheel, and 4 the upper fork thereof. The two guards here shown differ only in the bends creating the eyes and in the angles of departure of the j aw-arms from said eyes. A piece of wire is first bent centrally to form the end 5 and parallel side bars 6, upon which the rubber or scraper 7 is mounted. Additional bends, helical or otherwise, substantially as shown, create the eyes 8, and the extremities of the arms 9, extending be yond said eyes, are bent to create the gripjaws 1O 11, the form of each jaw being that proper to properly fit onto or hook over the fork-bars.

When the guard is placed on the front wheel, the frame is sprung open, the side bars and arms are passed over the tire, the eyes are sprung onto the projecting ends of the axle, and the jaws engage or hook over the fork-bars. The jaws 10 ll engage with said bars in such manner as to resist the force applied to the outer end of the frame by the engagement of the scraper with the tire. Either one can be removed by simply reversing the operation of putting them on or pushingdown on the frame, 11 nbooking the jaws, and springing the eyes apart off from the axle ends. It will thus be seen that the mud guard is mounted and supported upon the wheel wholly by the eyes over the axle ends and the brace of the angular ends against the forkbars without requiring any nuts or screws and without requiring any wrench, screwdriver, or other tool in putting it on or re moving it. It will be further seen that the frictional engagement of the scraper with the moving tire of the wheel tends to raise said scraper, and this is resisted by the bracing spring tension of the arms and their jaws against the fork-bars, said tension being created by said friction.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A mud-guard fora cycle-wheel comprising a frame having parallel side bars astride of the wheel, a scraper upon the outer end of said frame engaging with the tire of the wheel, eyes upon said side bars fitting over the projecting axle ends and held there by the inwardly-exerted tension upon said side bars, arms projecting beyond said eyes and within the rear forks; and provided at the end with hooks which hook over the fork-bars of the cycle to resist the upward tension producedupon said side bars by the frictional engagement of the moving wheel -tire with the scraper, and whereby said scraper is kept in position.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of June, 1899.

GILBERT D. names.

Witnesses:

O. W. SMITH, HOWARD P. DENISON. 

